The annual Hindu festival Dussehra is here to remind us all that good always wins over evil. The auspicious festival is marked in honour of Lord Ram's win over Ravana, the demon King of Lanka. Many Hindus also celebrate the day as Vijayadashami-- when Goddess Durga killed the demon Mahishasur after a fierce battle. And thus the festival is celebrated with great joy and enthusiasm every year, just after the nine days of Navratri. It is also noted that Dussehra falls just 20 days prior to Diwali, the festival of lights, when Lord Ram along with Sita and Laxman returned to Ayodhya after their 14 years of exile.
Every year on Dussehra, Hindus across the country celebrate this auspicious festival by burning effigies of Ravana-- a representation of the end of evil. And while some Hindus celebrate the tenth day after Navratri as Dussehra and others as Vijayadashami, we must not forget that the essence of the festivals remains that same-- ie the victory of good over evil or Dharma winning over Adharma.
